


Don't Leave

by allofspace



Category: Silicon Valley (TV)
Genre: Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-17
Updated: 2017-07-17
Packaged: 2018-12-03 04:10:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,918
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11524272
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/allofspace/pseuds/allofspace
Summary: this is 100% fluff after the season 4 finale, inspired by this post https://dreampipers.tumblr.com/post/162559007388/also-i-have-this-idea-of-richard-being-really





	Don't Leave

Of course Richard knew he had been an ass. That’s mostly how he ended up at Jared’s door apologizing. But he hadn’t sincerely felt bad for it until now, with Jared wrapping a bag of frozen peas in a dish towel and placing it on Richard’s cheek. He tried not too flinch at the pain and the cold, but Jared’s hurried apology told him he failed. With one heartfelt apology from Richard, Jared was back tending to him, as loyal as ever. The realization made Richard’s heart sink, although he didn’t immediately know why. This is what he’d wanted but… it felt a bit too easy. Jared never pushed back against him, he’d always gone along with Richard’s plans until now. Jared finally stood up to him, but just like that he was back at Richard’s side, helping fight his battles. Which, again, was what he’d wanted, but somehow it didn’t feel right. Jared deserved better. 

“It’s ok, I got it,” Richard said. He reached up to take the peas from Jared and apply them himself. “Uh, are you okay?”

“Of course, Richard,” Jared smiled. He had a cut on his lip, but otherwise seemed unharmed. Jared touched his lip, as if noticing Richard had been looking. “I think I hit myself with the shoe while I was trying to beat Melcher off of you.” Jared seemed almost giddy. It was probably his first fight ever. 

“Thanks for that, by the way. You really didn’t have to,” Richard said. 

“Of course, but I wanted to.” Jared shrugged. 

“Um, okay,” Richard said, because he really didn’t know what to say to that. 

Dinesh and Gilfoyle walked in the front door, arguing about something stupid as always, and some of the awkward tension eased out of Richard’s shoulders. The uncomfortable knot in his stomach, however, persisted. 

That night Richard decided something, as he was tossing and turning unable to fall asleep. He wasn’t taking Jared for granted anymore. Richard didn’t know what he’d do if Jared left him again… left him for good.

\--

Jared awoke to the delightful smell of bergamot. When he opened his eyes, he thought he might be hallucinating, but then Richard spoke. 

“Sorry to wake you. I couldn’t sleep. You usually get up about now, right?”

As if on cue, Jared’s alarm went off. He tapped it softly.

“Yes I do,” Jared said, joyful but hesitant. There must be something wrong. Did Richard need him for something? “Uh, may I ask if there’s a reason for your visit?”

“Oh,” Richard said, as if suddenly remembering the reason. “Here. I think you said you like Earl Grey tea? I wasn’t sure what you put in it though, so I googled it and milk seems popular.”

Jared stared at the mug that Richard’s outstretched hand was offering to him. He took it slowly and blinked down at it. It smelled delightful and from the colour he could see the ratio of milk to tea was near perfect. “Thank you, Richard,” he said sincerely. Richard seemed to be waiting for something, so Jared took a sip. It was hot, but not scalding. “It’s perfect,” Jared added.

Richard sighed. “Cool, good. Okay well… good morning,” Richard waved with a smile. And then he turned and left. 

Jared sat on his cot, staring at the doorway Richard disappeared through until the mug started to burn his hand. He then sipped it slowly until it was gone. 

When Jared was showered and dressed he went to the computer area to work. 

“Jared, there you are,” Richard said. 

“Oh sorry, were you looking for me? Am I late?”

“Late? What? No, I’m just… happy you’ve joined us. We’ve got… a lot of work to do and, you know, we could really use your help.”

“Oh, really?” Jared asked, intrigued. 

“Yeah, Richard, really?” Dinesh asked, although he seemed to be a little sarcastic. 

“Yes, Dinesh. We, uh, need to go over some details. Legal stuff. Since a bunch of refrigerators are storing are data, remember?” Richard replied. 

“Sounds legit,” Gilfoyle said. He hadn’t even turned away from his computer. 

“Right,” Jared said. He felt an odd atmosphere in the room, but couldn’t pinpoint what it was. “Of course, Richard. There is a lot to go over, and it’s obviously best if we find an alternate way to store the data as soon as possible.”

“Exactly,” Richard said. “Whatever you say. Where would we be without you? Right guys?” Richard looked to Dinesh and Gilfoyle who were typing away and not paying attention at all. Richard coughed and laughed a little. “Anyway, we should get started on this.”

Jared couldn’t shake the fact that Richard was acting a bit odd. He was more awkward and skittish than usual and Jared wasn’t sure what to make of it. As they worked on the legal side of things, Richard eagerly agreed with all of Jared’s suggestions. Jared didn’t really have a problem with that, but it didn’t feel right. 

“Are you sure you’re okay with this, Richard?”

“What? Of course. It’s what you think is best, right?” Richard replied. 

“Yes but…”

“Then that’s all I need to know,” Richard shrugged. “Hey, do you want more tea? You deserve a break.”

Jared was about to say yes, but Richard was already up and moving to turn the kettle on. 

“Richard, please don’t take this the wrong way. But is there something going on with you?”

“Uh, what do you mean?” Richard asked, fidgeting with boxes of tea on the counter. 

“You are acting a bit strange. It’s somewhat… unsettling,” Jared finished with a grimace. He hoped Richard wouldn’t get upset by his observation, but he wanted to know if there was something wrong. 

“Oh, sorry. No, nothing’s going on. It’s just, you were right, you know? I wasn’t myself before and I was turning into Gavin and that’s just not who I want to be,” Richard said quickly.

“I don’t think you're Gavin. I’m sorry I said that. Is that why you’re acting this way?”

Richard laughed a little too loudly. “Acting what way? It’s fine, Jared. Everything’s fine. Let’s just get back to work okay?”

Jared’s lips tightened and he turned back to his computer. He heard Richard sigh. 

A few minutes later, Richard brought a cup of tea to the table and handed it to Jared. 

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to snap at you,” Richard said. He rolled his eyes and laughed. “I’m just stressed, you know? The past few weeks, we’ve had some close calls. It’s been a bit rough.”

“I know. It’s okay, how about we just get back to work?” Jared suggested.

“Absolutely.” 

Jared hoped Richard just needed some time to get the previous events out of his system. He had been through a lot recently. 

It didn’t stop though. For the next week, Richard kept making Jared tea, and agreeing with all of his suggestions. He didn’t want to bring it up because of the last time. There was clearly something going on with Richard, and Jared didn’t know what to do. 

He absolutely wasn’t going to ask Gilfoyle, so he decided to try Dinesh. 

“What do you mean ‘weird’? He’s always weird,” Dinesh said, without looking up from the game he was playing. 

“Uh, you know. He’s being oddly agreeable, with a cheerfulness that feels distinctly fake,” Jared tried to explain. 

“I haven’t noticed any of that,” Dinesh said with a considering tone. “Oh wait, you mean how he’s being super nice to you and only you? Yeah I totally noticed that.”

“Oh,” Jared said. “Just to me? He hasn’t been acting strangely around you guys?”

“Uh, no. Oh except for like… when you’re in the room. Because that’s like, around us, if that’s what you mean,” Dinesh said. 

Jared frowned. Was it something he did? Why was Richard only uncomfortable around him? Maybe Richard hadn’t really forgiven him for what had happened. He’d thrown away his loyalty, and maybe now Richard couldn’t trust him. 

“I’m gonna fix this,” Jared said as he stood and left. 

“Idiots,” Dinesh mumbled to himself. 

\--

Richard jumped when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He pulled off his headphones and turned around to see Jared.

“Sorry, I knocked and called for you, but you didn’t hear me.”

“It’s okay. What’s up?” Richard asked.

“I need to talk to you,” Jared said. “I think I know why you’ve been acting strangely. I am so sorry for betraying your trust, Richard. I will never do anything like that again. You were just trying to save your company, I get it. I just wish you didn’t need to cross that line.” Jared may have practiced this a few times in his mirror, and he hoped he would remember it all. But before he could continue Richard cut in. 

“What? God, no, Jared. Stop. Please? Just stop,” Richard said, running his hands over his face. 

“But I know something’s wrong. The way you’ve been acting around me…”

“Jared. It’s not… It’s just that…”

Jared stared at him, and Richard couldn’t handle it. He looked away, at the walls, at the floor, anywhere but the huge puppy dog eyes. 

“I don’t want you to leave,” Richard said quietly. 

Silence. Richard looked up to gauge Jared’s response. 

Jared looked confused to say the least. “What?”

“I know that I can be a dick, and I just, don’t want you to leave me again, so I thought if I was nice enough, you would want to stay.”

“Leave you?” Jared repeated. 

“Leave us. Leave the company. The guys… they took it hard…. And uh,” Richard scrambled for words. “Fuck it,” he finally sighed. “Yes, I need you, Jared. I need you not to leave me, because I don’t want to run a business with you.”

“Richard, I don’t want to leave you either. You don’t have to act any differently around me. I like you just the way you are,” Jared said. He had a huge smile on his face and quickly moved to tackle Richard into a hug, but stopped at the last second as Richard was bracing himself. 

“Sorry, I know you’re not big on touching,” he said. 

“No, it’s okay,” Richard replied, finding he was a bit let down when the hug didn’t happen. 

“If you’re just agreeing with me because you think –“ Jared started. 

“No. I really am okay with it. I promise,” Richard said. 

Jared looked pleased and came in slower this time. It made a little bit more weird but as Jared wrapped his arms around him, Richard finally felt okay. Like everything was going to be okay. Richard wasn’t even sure what the acceptable amount of time was for a hug between two guys, but he was pretty sure they had surpassed it. He almost didn’t want to let go, but he heard a cough at the door and quickly backed away from Jared.  
Dinesh stood in the doorway. “Wow, glad you two worked things out,” he said nonchalantly. “I guess Gilfoyle owes me 5 bucks.”

With that, he walked away. Richard’s cheeks burned. 

“I’m glad we got this worked out, Richard.” 

“Yeah, me too,” Richard replied. “I should really get back to… this. What I was doing. On my computer.”

“Okay,” Jared said happily. 

Richard sat down heavily on his chair. Jared’s smell lingered on his hoodie and he found it hard to concentrate. He missed the warmth and comfort of being pressed to Jared’s chest. And oh shit, he was in trouble.


End file.
